Health Needs Assessment Update Released

MidCentral District Health Board and
Whanganui DHB populations have higher proportions of groups
with higher health needs (Maori, social-economically
disadvantaged people, and older people) compared to New
Zealand, a health needs assessment of the regions has
found.

Author of the annual health needs assessment report
Dr Richard Fong, clinical advisor for health information and
data quality at MDHB, said this influences the general
health status of their (MDHB and WDHB) populations.

Dr
Fong said improving the health status of MidCentral, and
Whanganui populations depends on how well high needs
populations are catered for.

The report update includes
the recently released district health board-related 2013
Census data.

Key points from that Census data
are:• MidCentral’s population increased from the
2006 Census (158,841), to the 2013 Census population of
162,564 – an increase of 2.3 percent. New Zealand’s
population increased by 5.3 percent for the same
period.• Whanganui’s population declined between the
years – 2006 (62,208) to 60,120 in 2013 – a 3.4 percent
decline.• Both MDHB and WDHB have higher proportions
of older people compared to New Zealand (16.5%, 18.2%, and
14.3% respectively). Older people generally have higher
health needs than younger people.• The age balances of
MDHB, WDHB and New Zealand continue to age, with higher
proportions of older people and smaller proportions of
younger people.• MDHB, and particularly WDHB, have
higher proportions of Maori residents than New Zealand
overall (17.4%, 23.5%, and 14.1%
respectively).• Regular cigarette smoking continues to
decline for MidCentral, Whanganui and New Zealand. Whanganui
regular smoking proportions were slightly higher than
MidCentral’s, which in turn were slightly higher than New
Zealand’s (18.1%, 15.4%, and 13.7% respectively). But all
three experienced declines in regular smoking from 2006 to
2013.• MidCentral and Whanganui have lower median
household incomes compared to New Zealand. MidCentral’s
median income in 2013 was $52,200, Whanganui’s $45,700,
compared to New Zealand’s $63,800.

Dr Fong said
soci0-economic disadvantage is associated with poorer health
status. This implies both MidCentral, and especially
Whanganui populations would have poorer health status than
the New Zealand average.

The report examined Otago
University’s NZDep2013 mapping of areas of socio-economic
disadvantage, as they apply to MidCentral, Whanganui, and
New Zealand overall. The NZDep2013 study rates small
geographical areas from decile 1 (the least
socio-economically disadvantaged) to decile 10 (the most
disadvantaged).

He said MidCentral’s population shows
greater socio-economic disadvantage than New Zealand. There
are higher proportions of the population living in areas
with NZDep 2013 decile ratings 7 to 10; and lower
proportions living in decile 1 to 4 areas.

However,
Whanganui’s population shows even greater social-economic
disadvantages than MidCentral. There is almost a straight
line gradation, with very low percentages in decile 1, and
very high in decile 10. Almost one in five Whanganui
residents live in a decile 10 area (over 18%).

Dr Fong’s
report also provided an update on ‘amenable mortality’
– deaths from conditions amenable to preventative or
health service intervention in people under 74 years
old.

He said MidCentral, Whanganui and New Zealand
amenable mortality rates all trended downwards from 2002 to
2010.

“MidCentral yearly rates are consistently higher
than New Zealand rates. Whanganui yearly rates are
consistently higher than both MidCentral and New Zealand.
This pattern is consistent with the differences in
socio-economic status among the three populations.”

Dr
Fong said how successful MidCentral and Whanganui DHBs are
in improving their populations’ health depends on how
successful they are in catering for high needs population
groups.

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